Fencepost



G B. STOUT.

FENCEPOST.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1918.

1,335,302. Patented Mar. 30,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. B. STOUT.

FENCEPOST.

APPUCATIOYN FILED MAR. a. 1918.

1,335,302. Patented Mar. 301920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET-Z.

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Specification of Lett er s r atent. Patented luai. 30, 1920.

Application filed March 6, 1918. Serial No. 220,869.

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that I, GERA B. STOUT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of olorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fenceposts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinventlon, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to lmprovements in posts adapted for use where the fence 1s subjected to the actionof floods which ordinarily destroy the fence and carry 1t away. My improvement is of such character that when employed in constructing a fence across a stream, as a normally dry creek, the portion of the fence above the bed of the creek may by reason of breakable pins employed in the construction of the posts, yield to the action of the flood and lie flat upon the bed of the stream without destroying anything except the breakable pins with which the two hinged parts of the posts are connected beyond the hinge pin in such a manner that they yield to the force of the flood before any part of the fence 1s destroyed. The wires which ordinarily would be employed in the construction of a fence of this character are, of course, applied to the upper hinged members of the post and extend above the bed of the creek or draw where the fence is located.

Having briefly outlined my improvement, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawmg:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my 1mproved fence post.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the structure showing the several parts detached, but in position for assemblage.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side of the post, showing also an end view of the two projecting parts which are normally connected with the breakable pin..

Fig. 4 is anelevation of the fence.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the part of the fence above the bed of the stream in the flat position after the force of the flood has broken the wood pins of the posts.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts 111 all the views.

Let the numeral 5 des1gnate myimproved post, considered in its entirety and composed of an upper member 6 having a rightangled projection"7 and a lower member 8 having a right-angled projection 9, the two projections 7 and 9 being normally arranged in abutting relation, the member 7 having a groove 10 in which is located a tongue 12 ofcounterpart shape, the two membershavmg registering perforations l3 and 14 through which is passed a breakable pm 15,

the pin beinglocated near the outer or free and 19 formed in the respective posts parts.

It is feasible to have the arm 7 sufficiently heavy to maintain member 6 normally inupright positlon without using a breakable It is assumed that the post is made of metal and that the breakable pin 15 is made of wood and sufliciently frail to yield or break under a force that would otherwise injure or destroy the post or the fence with 'which it is employed. It must be understood, however, that the post may be made of any suitable material. For instance, the two parts 6 and 8 may be of hard wood and the pin 15 of soft wood and sufiiciently frail to be breakable under the aforesaid conditions.

The use of the posts is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. The member 8 of each post is inserted in the bed until its projection 9 is in contact with the surface or approximately so, the part 8 being made long enough to properly anchor the post, considering the conditions of the ground where it is inserted. Of course, if this material is sand and very loose at the surface it will be necessary to have the part 8 sufficiently long to reach a solid or secure stratum of material. Hence the length of this member will be regulated according to the conditions of the earth where the device is employed.

From the foregoing description, the use and operation of my improved post will be readily understood. In Figs. 4 and 5 a number of these posts is illustrated, the members 8 being anchored in the bed 20 of a dry. creek or draw, while wires 21 are applied to the upper members 6 of the posts swing downwardly on the hinge pins 17 and assume a flat position on the bed of the: stream, as shown in Fig. 5. After the flood ispast and the bed of the stream is in proper condition, the panel of fence may be raised and new breakable pins 15 inserted, after which the structure is ready for 'use, the expense of restoring it to its normal condition being mconsiderable or negligible, as will be readily understood. Having thus described what I claim is: a

.1 1. A, post comprising upper and lower my invention,

members hingedly connected, the hinge bein the direction ing substantially within the body of the post when the two members are in alinement, each member having at its hinged end a laterally projecting arm, the arm on the lower member being adapted to support the arm on the upper member, one of said arms having a recess and the other a projection to engage in said recess whereby said arms may be properly positioned.

2. A post comprising upper and lower members hingedly connected, the hinge being substantlally within the body of the post when the two members are in alinement, each member having at its hinged end a laterally projecting arm, the arm on the lower member being adapted to support the arm on the upper member, one ofsaid arms having a recess and the other'a projection to engage in said recess, whereby said arms may be properly positioned, said tongue andrthe. walls of said recess having apertures adapted to aline to receive a breakable pin. In testimony whereof I ailix mysignature.

, GERALD B. STOUT. 

